Short-Term Accommodations

Council approved Short-Term Accommodations Bylaw (By-law 2025-176) which took effect Dec. 1, 2025. 

What you need to know:

1. Short-Term Accommodation (STA) means the accommodation or use all or part of a legally established Dwelling Unit, that operates or offers a place of temporary residence, lodging or occupancy by way of concession, payment of a monetary fee, permit, lease, license or rental agreement or similar commercial transaction for a period of less than twenty-eight (28) consecutive nights throughout all or any part of a calendar year and includes a bed and breakfast establishment, but does not include a tourist establishment, a rooming, boarding or lodging house, a motel, a hotel, a hospital, special care facilities as recognized by provincial or federal legislation, a long-term care facility, a campground or similar commercial accommodation use.
2. Owner-Occupied Short-Term Accommodation means a Short-Term Accommodation that is within a portion of a Dwelling Unit where the Owner is a full-time resident occupying the property on a full-time basis. Only the Dwelling Unit that the Owner occupies as their principal residence may be considered an Owner-Occupied Short-Term Accommodation. Where a separate Dwelling Unit or Accessory Dwelling Unit on the same property is rented as a Short-Term Accommodation, that unit is not considered an Owner-Occupied Short-Term Accommodation. For administration purposes, any STA that is not an Owner-Occupied STA is considered a Whole-Home STA.
3. A Short-Term Accommodation shall have no more than three (3) rooms individually rented; and sleeping accommodation for a maximum of four (4) individuals. Unless it is an entire single-detached Dwelling Unit rented under a single booking.
4. A Short-Term Accommodation License expires one year after the date of the issuance.
5. There must be a minimum separation distance of 100 metres between Short-Term Accommodation dwellings. Exempted from this is the BDIA, described in City By-law 9275
6. Fees:

• Whole-home STAs: $1,000
  • Renewal: $500
• Owner-occupied STAs: $500
  • Renewal: $250

Non-Refundable Application Fees
All application fees are non-refundable. Once an application is submitted and payment is processed, fees will not be returned, regardless of the outcome of the application, including where an application is withdrawn, incomplete, or does not proceed to approval.

Applications Must Be Completed Within 90 Days
Licence applications must be completed within 90 days of submission. This includes providing all required documentation and successfully completing any required inspections.

If your business location and/or home is not ready for inspection, you should wait to apply until you are prepared to meet all requirements within the 90-day timeframe.

For example, if you have an open building permit and are still awaiting final occupancy approval, you should not submit a licence application until occupancy has been granted and the premises are ready for required inspections.

Obtaining your license:

Step 1: Complete Application

Submit your application and supporting documentation through the online form.

Short-Term Accommodation License Application

Step 2: Application Reviewed

A license application will only be reviewed once payment for the applicable license fees have been received.

The application will be reviewed by the licensing officer and the following:

• Planning Department 
• Building Department
• By-law Enforcement
• Belleville Fire Prevention

 The departments listed may reach out to you directly if any additional information is required.

Step 3: Application Outcome

The application is either approved or denied based on inspection reports and reviews of the application.

• If approved – the license will be issued.
• If denied – the application may proceed to the appeal.

Renewing your license:

STA owners are required to renew their license annually. A license may be renewed within one calendar year, prior to the expiry date of the license, by completing the online form with all supporting documentation. 

Short-Term Accommodation License Renewal Application